NEW FEATURE: Country Indicators on Posts

[Pyroman]

To those who have expressed concerns about assisting individuals on an international site, not knowing where a user is from - we have listened to your concerns and need your feedback.

In the ADN sandbox forum, I've coded up a possible solution, but I need to hear what you all think.

The first indicators are on the actual forum pages, next to the authors name:
http://testforum.aquadotnetwork.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=6

In the actual topic view, the country indicator is also shown next to each poster:
http://testforum.aquadotnetwork.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2817

As well as in the user profile:
http://testforum.aquadotnetwork.com/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=6

All newly registered users would be required to select at least their country in lieu of a complete location - due to privacy concerns. Unfortunately existing users would need to set this option. We could send PMs to all of the users after a set period requesting that they set their country, and if necessary restricting posting until a country is set.

Please at least answer the poll, yes or no, and if you have a moment, let me know if...

1. You would find making the country code mandatory for posting useful in helping individuals.

2. You would like the country indicator to be optional.

3. You have any other suggestions regarding country indicators.

[mcloughlin2]

I think it is a bad idea for ausfishforum.com and for this site because then it would be encouraging peeople from other countries to join.... :D

Thatcould cause the sites to become a american based site or some other country based site...making it harder to find someone near u that u can talk to about discus or another fish.... :)

Just my opinion...
:wink:
Ps i have no problem with people joining from other countries...its just i dont think it should be encouraged.....

Cheers,

Sam

[mcloughlin2]

And i think it is best to just have the location thing we have now but just make it a rule to fill it in if ur selling something... :wink:

And if someone breaks this rule then there post should be removed and they should be given a warning or something... :P

By putting in ur state in ur location u can then just say in ur msg if ur selling something that ur 20mins from the CBD or something.. :)

eg: Location, N.S.W

Then in ur msg say: Im in the penrith area...

I dont think privacy should be an issue there... :D

[kalebjarrod]

i think countrys would be great

and i don't think it would harm our australian flavour

it would just give us a little more information about others :wink:

[Pyroman]

The country indicators would only be used on international sites. AusFishForum is definately not an international site, so no worries there.

Thanks for the feedback so far!

[kazkirk]

I think it is a bad idea for ausfishforum.com and for this site because then it would be encouraging peeople from other countries to join.... :D

Thatcould cause the sites to become a american based site or some other country based site...making it harder to find someone near u that u can talk to about discus or another fish.... :)

Just my opinion...

Ps i have no problem with people joining from other countries...its just i dont think it should be encouraged.....

Cheers,

Sam


*runs away crying*
But I didnt want to be american, I promise!


I feel horribly discriminated against. It was scary enough being a minority here, but I was encouraged to stay but apparently the feeling is not mutural. :roll:

Discus are discus no matter where you are. Tanks are tanks, diseases are....
you get the point.

That being said, I like the whole flag idea. I vote yes!

*sits in corner pouting because no-one wants to play with me*

[Merrilyn]

*Hands Kaz a tissue*

Dry your eyes little lady. We have friends from all over the world on this forum. Why, even two of our three wonderful Administrators are based in the USA, and our third Admin makes America his second home :D so make yourself right at home.

We are truely an international site here, with members based in USA, England, France, Holland, Germany, Brasil, Singapore, China, Malaysia and many, many others. We even have some Aussie members too :wink:

[Pyroman]

*runs away crying*
But I didnt want to be american, I promise!


I feel horribly discriminated against. It was scary enough being a minority here, but I was encouraged to stay but apparently the feeling is not mutural. :roll:

Discus are discus no matter where you are. Tanks are tanks, diseases are....
you get the point.

That being said, I like the whole flag idea. I vote yes!

*sits in corner pouting because no-one wants to play with me*

*waves hands*

Hey - I'm American... last time I checked *LOL*.

I suppose we have some stark perspectives of what DiscusForums is... and in a lot of ways that's a good thing. To Aussies it's a personable Australian site, to Americans - it's an open international site.

Don't fret... I'm glad to have you here regardless.

[mcloughlin2]

My apologies to kazkirk and any other person i offended... :D

The reason i z that is because i hate it wen i go on to other forums and see a fish i have been lookin for that is for sale only to find out that its for sale in another country.. :(

This is one of the few sites i can visit and buy almost any fish i can afford and i dont want that to change.... :thumb

I have thought about it and have decided that it would be a good idea to have country ID....i would change my vote but i dont think that is possible for me to do that....

Another apology to all those people i offended...

Ps: I hope there are no bad feelings towards me...


Cheers,

Sam

[Merrilyn]

Sam, no one here is going to hit you over the head with a brick for having an opinion.
We pride ourselves on letting everyone be heard, without fear of being ridiculed.
This is an open and friendly forum, and our admins like it that way, and so do the mods.

You have expressed an opinion and make a valid point, and that's fine.
Others may have a different opinion, and that's fine too.
This is our home, and everyone has a right to be heard.
Every opinion is important.

Okay everyone, let's hear what you have to say :P

[sammigold]

I think a country indicator is a great idea...

Yeh.. Hey Kaz, don't go.... stay with all us mad discusheads.....

[marg]

I like the State idea (and the xxx minutes from Penrith or whatever) - makes it easy if you see something For Sale that you are interested in - also think it helps you to find Discus Lovers near to you - I can't wait for the day when I see XXX minutes from Wagga Wagga - there is no-one near me - that's why I love this site so much :D :D :D .

[lesley]

I like the country idea, and I would like to see the site open to all - good for us aussies and hopefully helpful to members from other countries.

If you can see the country flag then you know that what is for sale is not from Australia.

[goldenpigeon]

hi guys yeh i have to say it is a good idea.

Kaz plz dont feel offended. i have to say that i came across at least 50 american forums about all kinds of fish before i found this "australian dominated" forum. that doesnt mean that other ppl from other countries should not register. but sam does have a very good point. this site could very easily become and american (for example) site. simply because we dont have the numbers u guys do. i guess it cannot be helped but it is a luxury for us to have an Australian based site that whe can buy and sell from, exchange ideas, and can relate our ideas with each other which a lot of australian fish keepers do not have.

just my thoughts and i dont at all want to cause offense to anybody!

cheers yall

[marg]

I agree with you Junior. I also came across a lot of other sites in other Countries before I stumbled across this one (glad that I did), and I must confess I was rapt to find an Aussie site. I enjoyed reading comments from other Countries, but it was all so far away.

I also don't want to offend - I enjoy reading the comments from other emebers who come from America/Singapore/Penang etc., but it does make a difference when they come from your own Country. I suppose it is because we can envisage where they come from e.g. QLD, A.C.T., Vic., and we know that if we need to we can pm. those members and it is affordable to ring them if we have a problem. Also good if one of the members has something for sale - being our own Country it is easier to arrange transportation and no Quarantine problems (which soon makes things too expensive anyway).

Regardless of all that, I still enjoy reading everyones' comments, no matter where they are from - as long as they are into Discus I'm interested.

[kazkirk]

Well, I like this site because its smaller than *enter large american site here* and it feels more like a happy family and its not so intimidating to speak up. There also seems to be a different attitude over here. It might be because Im south african and align myself more with aussies more than americans or something like that. I just feel more comfortable here and to suddenly see that the "american presence" is tolerated but not encouraged was dissapointing. But now that I see I misinterpreted exactly what you you trying to say, its all good!

Smiles all round, and you couldnt kick me out if you tried :wink: .

PS: Go Springboks!

[Proteus]

PS: Go Springboks!


mmmmm, thinks of a suitable response... lol

[mcloughlin2]

http://www.discusforums.com/forum/files/pages-from-febmarch2004emai.jpg

This is something i came across when i was reading all the post from wen this site first opened.... ( Yeah i know im a loser LOL) :oops:

My question is in the last paragraph will that rule remain??

Incase u dont know which part i mean itz the part that says

"With only australian suppliers allowed to advertise"

That rule would mean that members from other countries can advertise wat they have to sell but fishshops from other countries cant, wouldnt it??

I think if that rule remained everyone will be happy....well i will anyway... :D

So wats everyone's thoughts on this?? :wink:

[Liverpool_pete]

I agree information from around the world can be helpfull and there is no reason we can't all help eachother but i would rather see the classified broken up into "Australia" and then "Rest of World" if alot of people from other countries start to sell items on here but at the moment i havent seen many if any items from overseas.

This forum seems to be one big happy family and location in Asutralia doesnt become an issue for people so location in the world shouldnt be either.

IMHO

[kazkirk]

I agree information from around the world can be helpfull and there is no reason we can't all help eachother but i would rather see the classified broken up into "Australia" and then "Rest of World" if alot of people from other countries start to sell items on here but at the moment i havent seen many if any items from overseas.


Brilliant idea!

[Proteus]

I am going to try and work on this over the weekend...

fingers crossed I dont break anything... lol

:wink: